Transplant (TV series) explained

Genre:Medical drama
Creator:Joseph Kay
Country:Canada
Language:English
Num Seasons:4
Num Episodes:49
Runtime:40 minutes
Company:
  • Sphère Média Plus
  • Bell Media
  • NBCUniversal International Studios
Network:
  • CTV (Canada)
  • NBC (U.S.)

Transplant is a Canadian medical drama television series created by Joseph Kay, which premiered on February 26, 2020, on CTV. The series centres on Bashir "Bash" Hamed, a doctor from Syria who comes to Canada as a refugee during the Syrian Civil War, and is rebuilding his career as a medical resident in the emergency department at the fictional York Memorial Hospital in Toronto.[1]

In June 2020, the series was renewed for a second season,[2] which premiered on January 2, 2022, on CTV, then March 6 on NBC.[3] [4]

In February 2022, the series was renewed for a third season by CTV and NBC.[5] Season 3 premiered on September 23, 2022.[6] Season three consisted of 13 one-hour episodes, and aired in fall 2022 and winter 2023.[7]

In March 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season by CTV.[8] [9] In September, Kay announced that the fourth season would conclude the series, noting that he had always planned it as a four-season arc.[10] The fourth season premiered on October 6, 2023,[11] and consisted of 10 one-hour episodes.[12]

Premise

Transplant follows Dr. Bashir "Bash" Hamed, a Syrian Civil War refugee and the newest resident at York Memorial Hospital, as he navigates through numerous obstacles to resume a career in the high stakes world of emergency medicine.

Cast and characters

Episodes

Season 1 (2020)

Season 4 (2023–24)

Production

Produced by Sphère Média Plus, the series entered production in June 2019.[15] [16]

The series is primarily filmed in Montreal,[17] with some limited location shooting in Toronto for establishing shots and other scenes which require a clear Toronto geographic marker.

Production on the second season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, but commenced in February 2021.[18]

International broadcast

In May 2020, NBC acquired the U.S. broadcast rights for the series alongside another imported Canadian medical drama series Nurses from Global, with it set for December premiere; it premiered on September 1, filling a timeslot usually held by its own medical drama New Amsterdam (whose next season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic).[19] [20] On December 11, 2020, NBC picked up the second season, which premiered on March 6, 2022.[21] [22] In July 2023, NBC originally announced season 3 would premiere on October 5, 2023, moving to Thursdays at 9 p.m. to fill the timeslot of . s fourth season was pushed back to mid-season of the 2023–24 season due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike delaying certain productions in Hollywood, with the original Law & Order and SVU airing repeat episodes on Thursdays at 8 p.m. However, on August 28, it was announced that NBC pushed back the premiere date to October 12, delayed by a week as part of schedule changes for the fall lineup.[23] [24]

In New Zealand, the series is available for streaming on TVNZ OnDemand.[25] In French Canada, the series airs on Vrak, simultaneously with its broadcast on CTV,[26] and later on Noovo.[27]

In November 2020, Sky Witness acquired the UK rights to the drama after striking a deal with international distributor NBC Universal Global Distribution.[28]

In Brazil, the series is available for streaming on Globoplay.[29]

In Malaysia, the series aired on PRIMEtime.

In Australia, the series aired on Nine Network, and is available to stream on 9Now.[30]

Reception

Critical response

John Doyle of The Globe and Mail wrote that the show's positioning of Bash as an immigrant struggling for acceptance in his adopted country set the show apart from other medical dramas: "The plot device that kick-starts the series—and Episode 1 sure comes with a kick—might seem ludicrous, but it gets your attention and signals what themes in Transplant are about to blossom. It's about the terror and frustrations that immigrants experience, trying to use their skills in a new country. Much is made of Bashir's knowledge and knowhow being heightened by his experience working in a war zone with few resources. He can intuit medical problems and injuries faster than most of his colleagues. This does not, however, make him either distinctly heroic or arrogant. Given his situation, he's actually an extremely vulnerable man. He's not the irascible Dr. House, nor is he the spookily wise young virtuoso at the heart of The Good Doctor." He praised the series and Haq's lead performance in particular, ultimately concluding that "There are numerous medical dramas that move with a breathless, hectic pace and then stop for some romance or heart-warming moments. Transplant has some of that, but there is an astutely Canadian spin on the familiar. It gives grim articulation to the issues of immigration and the harried, under pressure immigrant experience. It's not entirely original, but certainly superior to the usual and disarmingly different."[31]

In his year-end review of television in 2020, Doyle named Haq and Leboeuf as having given two of the year's best performances in Canadian television.[32]

For etalk, Christine Estima also favourably reviewed many aspects of the show, giving special praise to its choice to avoid positioning its two female doctors, June and Magalie, as competitive rivals, instead presenting them simply as doctors who respect and support each other even if they don't always agree.[33]

In advance of the show's American premiere, John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal reviewed it positively, calling it the best medical show currently airing on American television and potentially one of the better dramas ever aired by NBC in its history.[34] The Hollywood Reporter observed that it was "not a hugely innovative or adventurous medical drama" and had a "heavy reliance on that House trope of a loved one bringing in a patient, only to have the loved one be the one with the actual medical mystery", but that Hamed was "an interesting main character" and Haq was a "solid leading man, giving Bashir a frazzled soulfulness, but never making him saintly". In conclusion, it was felt that "in a fall in which the broadcast drama slate is populated mostly by mediocre acquisitions and dismal holdovers from last midseason, there's value to an above average new show like Transplant."[35]

The industry trade magazine Playback named Haq as Canadian television's breakout star of 2020.[36]

Awards and nominations

AwardYearCategoryNominee(s)Result
Canadian Screen Awards2021Best Dramatic SeriesTransplant[37]
Best Actor in a Drama SeriesHamza Haq
Best MakeupBruno Gatien, Marlène Rouleau, Mariane Simard for "Birth and Rebirth"
Best Photography in a Drama Program or SeriesPierre Gill for "Pilot"
Best Direction in a Drama SeriesHolly Dale for "Pilot"
Best Writing in a Drama SeriesJoseph Kay for "Pilot"
2022Best Dramatic SeriesTransplant[38]
Best Actor in a Drama SeriesHamza Haq
Best Actress in a Drama SeriesLaurence Leboeuf
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesAyisha Issa
Best Casting in a Television Series, FictionAndrea Kenyon, Randi Wells, Jason Knight, John Buchan
Best MakeupBruno Gatien, Julie Brisebois — "Guardrail"
Photography in a Drama Program or Series Pierre Gill — "Guardrail"
Editing in a Dramatic Program or SeriesAnnie Ilkow — "Contact"
Writing in a Drama SeriesJoseph Kay — "Free for What"
Audience Choice AwardTransplant[39]
Writers Guild of Canada2021Best Writing in a Drama SeriesLynne Kamm for "Triggering Warning"[40]
Joseph Kay for "Pilot"
Tamara Moulin for "Under Pressure"

External links

Notes and References

  1. Greg David, "Joseph Kay returns to TV with a new family in CTV's Transplant". TV, eh?, February 24, 2020.
  2. Victoria Ahearn, "Bell Media renews 'Transplant,' 'Jann'; says it's working 'to increase the representation of diverse voices'". Canadian Press via CTV News, June 24, 2020.
  3. Greg David, "Award-winning CTV original drama Transplant returns for Season 2 January 3". TV, eh?, December 10, 2021.
  4. Web site: Where 'Transplant' Left off & What's Ahead in Season 2 (VIDEO). Jacobs. Meredith. 2 March 2022. TVInsider. 7 March 2022.
  5. TransplantCTV. 1494323085360594951. February 17, 2022. renewed. 2022-02-17. en.
  6. 8 August 2022 . TransplantCTV. 1556639435307077633 . 2022-08-09 . "JUST ANNOUNCED #Transplant returns for an all new season Fri Sept 23 on @CTV.
  7. Web site: Etalk.ca . 2022-08-08 . Everything we know about 'Transplant' season 3 . 2022-08-10 . etalk . en-US.
  8. TransplantCTV. 1640748732235874311. Season 4. May 11, 2023 . Twitter . en.
  9. Web site: Acclaimed CTV original drama Transplant set to return for Season 4 TV, eh? . 2023-05-11 . www.tv-eh.com.
  10. Web site: 'Transplant' creator says 'complete story' of Syrian doc in Canada wraps this season. September 13, 2023. The Star Staff. Toronto Star. September 13, 2023.
  11. Web site: Final Season. 2023-09-14 . Instagram.
  12. Web site: Acclaimed CTV Original Drama TRANSPLANT Set to Return for Season 4 - Bell Media . 2023-09-14 . Acclaimed CTV Original Drama TRANSPLANT Set to Return for Season 4 - Bell Media . en.
  13. Kelly Townsend, "CTV's Transplant goes to camera". Playback, June 12, 2019.
  14. Transplant, season 4, episode 10 "Never Too Late to Start Again"
  15. Web site: White. Peter. Canada's CTV Partners With NBCU International Studios On Medical Procedural 'The Transplant'. Deadline Hollywood. January 31, 2019.
  16. Kelly Townsend, "Bell Media greenlights medical drama The Transplant for CTV". Playback, January 31, 2019.
  17. Web site: Yeo . Debra . 'This is so juicy': The cast of Canadian hospital TV series 'Transplant' talks Season 2 . Toronto Star . 1 January 2022 . 2021-12-31.
  18. Lauren Malyk, "Transplant underway in Montreal". Playback, February 10, 2021.
  19. Web site: NBC Expands Medical Drama Series Lineup With Canada's 'Transplant'. Deadline Hollywood. May 14, 2020. May 15, 2020.
  20. Hit Canadian Drama "Transplant" Begins Its Stateside Campaign and Sets NBC Debut for Tuesday, Sept. 1. NBC. The Futon Critic. August 12, 2020.
  21. Web site: Porter. Rick. 'Transplant' Renewed for Second Season at NBC. The Hollywood Reporter. December 11, 2020.
  22. "Weakest Link," "Transplant" to Begin Second Seasons Sunday, March 6 on NBC. NBC. The Futon Critic. January 31, 2022.
  23. Web site: Magnum P.I Moves To Fall On NBC; Network Stays In Scripted As Quantum Leap & New Dramas Found & The Irrational Make Up Revised Schedule. Deadline Hollywood. Peter. White. July 19, 2023. August 28, 2023.
  24. Web site: Transplant Gets New Season 3 Premiere Date At NBC. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. August 28, 2023. August 28, 2023.
  25. Web site: Transplant. TVNZ OnDemand.
  26. Web site: May 25, 2020. La série canadienne Transplant vendue aux États-Unis. February 1, 2021. Radio-Canada.ca. fr-ca.
  27. Web site: Laurence à l'urgence. Richard Therrien. Le Soleil. November 15, 2019.
  28. Web site: November 26, 2020. Sky Witness Acquires UK Rights To Canadian Medical Drama 'Transplant'. December 14, 2020. TVWise. en-US.
  29. Web site: Série 'Transplant' mostra dramas e rotina de médicos e é aposta do Globoplay. January 21, 2021. January 30, 2021. F5. pt-br.
  30. Web site: 9Now: Transplant . . July 25, 2023.
  31. [John Doyle (critic)|John Doyle]
  32. [John Doyle (critic)|John Doyle]
  33. Christine Estima, "The premiere episode of 'Transplant' confirms it's a must-watch medical drama: Not for the faint of heart, but it will also fill your heart", eTalk, February 26, 2020.
  34. John Anderson, "'Transplant' Review: A Skilled Doctor's Second Act". The Wall Street Journal, August 27, 2020.
  35. Web site: Fienberg . Daniel . 'Transplant': TV Review . . May 15, 2023 . September 1, 2020.
  36. Jordan Pinto, "Breakout Star of the Year 2020: Hamza Haq; The star of CTV's Transplant has emerged as one of Canadian television's leading lights, garnering international acclaim and shifting the way Muslims have historically been portrayed on screen.". Playback, December 17, 2020.
  37. Web site: Furdyk . Brent . March 30, 2021 . Television Nominees Announced For 2021 Canadian Screen Awards, 'Schitt's Creek' Leads The Pack With 21 Nominations . https://web.archive.org/web/20210330100408/https://etcanada.com/news/762146/television-nominees-announced-for-2021-canadian-screen-awards-schitts-creek-leads-the-pack-with-21-nominations/ . dead . March 30, 2021 . ET Canada.
  38. Brent Furdyk, "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, 'Sort Of' & 'Scarborough' Lead The Pack". ET Canada, February 15, 2022.
  39. Jamie Samhan, "The 2022 Canadian Screen Awards' Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award Nominees Announced". ET Canada, February 1, 2022.
  40. Web site: Townsend . Kelly . March 5, 2021 . Transplant leads WGC Screenwriting Awards nominations . Playback.